The Galesburg City Council on Monday denied a one-month contract extension to the interim Public Works Director on Monday night.
It was originally on the consent agenda before the contract extension was removed and then tabled, effectively leaving the city without a Public Works Director.
The vote was 5-2. Voting to table was Bradley Hix, Wayne Dennis, Evan Miller, Heather Acerra and Steve Cheesman.
Ward 1 Council member Bradley Hix says he doesn’t think the council has enough information to extend given that interim Mark Rothert’s contract pay is equivalent to $183,000 a year.
City Manager Gerald Smith says Rothert has operated under this contract for the past two months and the cost includes salary, insurance, and benefit costs.
Ward 5 Council member Heather Acerra moved to table the item which was seconded by Ward 3’s Evan Miller.
Acerra says that $183,000 is still higher than many other similar city administrative positions when you factor in things like benefits.
In an email sent to WGIL, Rothert said, “When compared to other city employees such as the city manager and former public works director, my proposed hourly rate is less than these two employees when their TOTAL compensation and employment costs are reduced to an hourly rate.
“As a private contractor, I have to pay for my own health insurance, retirement, and self-employment taxes. My proposed rate is thus reflective of those additional costs, which I tried to explain at the meeting.”
Rothert added, “Unfortunately, the discussion at the City Council did not accurately provide an honest apples to apples comparison, nor was this information asked for before the meeting.”
Ward 6 Council Member Sarah Davis says the nature of contract labor is that it will be a little more expensive than a regular employee.
Smith says without council extending the contract the council would be operating without a Public Works Director as soon as Tuesday since Rothert’s contract was expiring.
Ward 4 Council member Dwight White says he doesn’t understand who will fill the Public Works Director duties in the interim.
Sarah Davis says this is a “silly conversation to have” when the city needs a Public Works Director in place.
Mayor Peter Schwartzman said this seems “egregious” to dispatch with an interim Public Works Director as soon as the next day.
Schwartzman adds that he hasn’t heard any concern about Rothert from staff or the public in his two months on the job.
